> To Where And Back After Shot > by Ugly-Duckling123 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Chapter 1 The Invitation > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- It had been many moons since the Fall of Queen Chrysalis and the Rise of King Thorax. And life couldn't be better for the Changelings of their kingdom, because now they weren't always hungry, they had friends, the ponies didn't hate them as much anymore, and their friends could tell them apart now thanks to their new looks. The Changelings were just finishing rebuilding their Hive when a grey Pegasus pony with wall eyes, blonde hair and bubbles for a Cutie-Mark came crashing in and destroying everything they had been working on. All at once the Changelings that had been working hard on fixing the wall and the throne room got into an attack and began to let out small hisses of anger towards this mare. "No, stop," Thorax said coming over to see what was wrong and saw the pony was scared "It's ok, we didn't mean to scare you, we're sorry if we did. I'm Thorax, how can I help you?" Hearing that that was the guy's Derby searched in her mail bag and pulled out a letter handing it to him. "What is it My King?" one of the Changeling Guards around him asked when he was done reading it a few times. "It's from Princess Celestia," Thorax said not even bothering to tell the guard not to call him 'King' because that was not what he saw himself as "She believes it's finally time for us to meet and discuss business and trades, up in Canterlot in a few days" he explained asking for a pen and some paper to reply to the letter, saying he'll be there. Signing it, Thorax sealed it up with Changeling gel and gave it back to Derby before seeing her out. "I like your new looks King Thorax," she commented smiling as a way to start a conversation. "Thanks, but please don't think of me as or call me King, just believe in me as a friend," Thorax said before Derby flew away. As Thorax watched her go, the sun caught his new coat, warming his no longer swiz-cheese legs and shimmered on his new wings and antlers, looking forward to seeing his friends once again. What he didn't know was that there would be someone out to seek revenge on them, himself and his people. For in one of the many caves, the Changeling kingdom held in it vast dead outlands, the former ruler of the species the ruled here, Chrysalis, was coming up with plans to get revenge on the ponies that cost her her people, her throne, her home, and her life. "Oh I'll get you you little brat Starlight Glimmer," she hissed stomping on her Changeling wax figure she made of the Unicorn "And all your little friends too... And then one day... I will be ruling this pathetic land and the whole of Equestria!" If it wasn't for the shadow of a Pegasus blocking the sun, Chrysalis would have continued to cackle and gloat to herself. Seeing it was coming from the Hive and Thorax was seeing it leave, Chrysalis changed into another Pegasus and flew up to meet it to see what it was doing in her old home. "I was delivering a letter to Thorax about a meeting Princess Celestia is forming with the other leaders of Equestria in Canterlot in a few days," Derby said smiling before saying she had things to deliver and heading off. "Well well well thank you very much little Pegasus," Chrysalis said smiling evilly shifting back to herself "Now I know just what I can do to seek my revenge..." > Chapter 2: The Belledam > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- It had been a few days since the invitations to the leaders all over Equestria were given out, and today they were all coming to Canterlot for the meeting. "I hope that nothing bad happens this time," Princess Twilight said to her former teacher Celestia. "I'm sure that nothing will happen this time Twilight," she said smiling gently "After all all of our enemies are now either our friends or taken care of right?" she asked. "I guess so," Twilight said agreeing but still having a bad feeling about this. But all of those thoughts were taken off as the first of the guest started to arrive. "Announcing the Duke and Duchess of Maretionia," the pony at the door said loudly so every one could hear him "Announcing the Sultan and Sultana of Saddle-Arabia. Announcing Chief Thunderhooves and his daughter Little Strong Heart. Announcing the Dragon Lord, Princess Ember. Representing Griffionstone Gilda and Gabby. Announcing the Prince of Yak-Yakistan. Announcing the Emperor and Empress of Zebrabwe. Announcing the Royal Family of the Crystal Empire." this one getting a few ponies and guest to look up because they had not been lucky enough to see the newest Princess yet. "Twily," Shining said hugging his sister happily. "Hey Shining, Cadence, and Baby Flurry," Twilight said hugging them back "So glad you could make it," she said meaning it. "Auntie Twi!" Flurry Heart, now three and a half years old said waddling up to her favorite auntie and hugging her. "It is nice to see all of you," Celestia said smiling watching them enter the hall with the other guest ad the last and final guest of the evening showed up. "And finally" the pony at the door said "Announcing the Ruler of the Changelings King Thorax!" he called out, everyone who was not part of the Pony-napping, or the Castle Guards turning to look at him confuse and amazed, because they were sure it was someone called 'Queen Chrysalis' that was occupied that role. "Oh, please just Thorax will be fine," the guest said looking around and seeing his friends and coming over to meet them. "Nice to see you again Thorax," Celestia said bowing lightly to him "I hope the Changeling Kingdom is doing well." "Well we did just finish rebuilding if that's what you mean," Thorax said smiling, leaving out the part about Derby coming in and ruining it "Oh and I brought some things to give out as gifts, made by my people," he said lifting the saddlebag off his back and and holding it up. "I am sure we will all love them," Celestia said smiling leading Thorax and Twilight into the meeting room. Just as everyone was about to sit down and start, there came a knock on the door. "That's not right," Twilight said going through her list of guest and checking them off, not forgetting to add herself, Celestia, Luna, and her friends and Spike and Starlight Glimmer. There came another knock on the door. "Er, shouldn't somepony go and open the door?" Rainbow Dash asked but Shining Armour was already there opening the door ready to attack if need be. But all that was on the other side was a tall light brown beautiful, ruby red maned, Pegasus mare, with sea green eyes and a cutie mark of pair of four hole black buttons. "Oh dear am I too late for this Meeting of Leaders?" she asked worried looking around "Well then I guess I shall have to go, sorry for disturbing you." "Wait, please," Twilight said transporting herself next to Shining Armour "First of, Ma'am who are you?" she asked going over her list again. "Why I am known by my people as the Belledam," she said smiling answering the question. The other leaders all looked to each other and slightly asked each other if they had heard of this pony before. No one had. "And whom may these people be, Miss Belledam?" Princess Luna asked stepping forwards. "The Ponies and of Gallopagos Islands," she answered kindly, getting strange looks from everyone in return. "Er, Where?" Rainbow Dash asked the question everyone was thinking. "They're a very new bunch of islands out a few hundred miles out to sea," she explained. "Then excuse me, Miss Belledam," Twilight said giving up on her list "But how did you learn of this meeting." "I was out one day checking on my ponies seeing if they were doing alright, when a grey mail mare came to our island," she began explaining everyone listening carefully, little by little trusting this mare, but Thorax was not convinced just yet. There was something familiar with her, he just couldn't place it. "Believing she was lost, because she looked it," The Belledam continued "I went over to see what was wrong and she told me all about the Meeting." "Well I suppose, if you are a leader, that we can not send you away," Celestia said thinking looking to her sister for a second opinion who nodded too "Welcome to the meeting Belledam. Now let us all get some food and rest, the main part of the meeting will be tomorrow." the Sun Princess said leading everyone into the long dining hall again, telling the maids to set up another guest room. "I look forwards to it, Princess Celestia," the Belledam said smiling to herself and following the others. > Chapter 3: Suspissions > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- All through the dinner, everyone not sure about The Belledam, kept an eye on her, especially Thorax. Something about her seemed familiar, and for someone who was raised by an evil queen in a Hive that was separate from everyone that seemed a bit strange. "So Miss Belledam," he said getting almost everyone's attention, since before he spoke there was silence because everyone was eating "Please tell us a little about these 'Gallopagos Islands'," he said seeing Princess Twilight sneakily handing her dragon assistant Spike a quill and some parchment. "Well as I said Thorax, they're a bunch of new islands out at sea," she said helping herself to some spaghetti "My ponies and I made our home there, a few years ago when we were sailing and got caught in a storm there by ending up on those islands," she explained. "Oh my I hope nopony, or possibly animal was hurt," Fluttershy commented pausing in eating her salad. "No, no, no animals were hurt, but I myself did sprain my wing a little, and since I was the only Pegasus Pony in our little group, we couldn't send out for help," Belledam explained. "How long have you been there, if I may ask?" Twilight asked curious as always. "Only a few years, Princess Twilight," she replied. "Oh and um, what kinds of little animals live there?" Fluttershy spoke up wondering. "There are all types of wildlife there," Belledam replied "But to cut it down, there are birds, reptiles, fish in the sea, mammals, and lots of exotic and different types of plants." "Like what?" Twilight asked excited. "Oh there are too many to say Princess Twilight," Belledam said smiling a little "However I can show you some berries that came from one of the plants," she said bringing out a box from her bag "I thought I should bring them as a sort of hand out gift..." she said smiling. As Thorax thought about this smile, and the way Belledam was acting, mostly about not knowing what exact animals live on her islands, he began to think back over all the schemes Chrysalis had cooked up over the years she had been Queen. Seeing his face Starlight Glimmer gently leaned over and asked if anything was wrong. "I'm not sure yet," he said in a whisper "But I don't trust her..." just then the box of berries was passed to him "And I definitely do not trust these so-called berries." he said picking one out and placing it to one side before passing the box along, whispering in Starlight's ear to 'Take one but don't eat it - pass it on.' This only reached Starlight, Spike and the main six. As the box returned to Belledam, she looked around making sure everybody had one before excusing herself saying she was very tired. "Of course, would you like me to ask one of my guards to escort you to your room?" Celestia asked as Belldam stood up. "Oh no thank you Princess Celestia," she said kindly "I'm sure I'll find it on my own. Goodnight." And with that she left the room an unseeable grin on her face as she left. > The Flowers > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- That night, after the party is over, and everyone was in their guest rooms sleeping, a small group of friends gathered together and discussed what Thorax wanted to talk about. "I took a closer look at the these so called berries, Belledam handed out," he began holding up his berry that was cut in half "And I found that inside there were traces of Changeling royal jelly." "And that's... bad right?" Rainbow Dash asked hovering a little above the ground. "It depends on who eats it," Thorax said using his magic to make shadows of an old Changeling Queen and some workers "If a Changeling Royal eats it, then they will have healthy children and the Hive will keep safe," he began now changing the shadows to different types of ponies "However, if anything other than a royal Changeling has it, then they will be put into a trance like state and will become the giver's demoted follower, which they can then use to, if they want, take over cities, countries, of the whole of Equestria." That left the others in silence for a little bit, before Applejack spoke up. "But if only you Changelings can make this stuff," she began "Where did Belledam get it from?" "I sent a message to the Hive asking them to come back with all of Chrysalis' old disuses and found something very interesting..." Thorax said pulling out a piece of paper with a photo list of everypony the old queen changed into. And right in the middle was Belledam. "So you're saying that she is her?" Pinkie asked pointing from the photo to the shadow still on the wall. "I believe she is, Pinkie Pie," Thorax said nodding "And I also believe that she plans on doing what I just said with the leaders, by using the berries. But your law states that we need evidence before we can do anything too dramatic." "Isn't what you said enough?" Fluttershy asked scared, hugging Spike. "Not when she can turn back right at me and say something along the lines of..." he said shifting into the Belledam to mock her "You seem to know a fair bit about this 'Royal Jelly' Thorax, perhaps you're the one who made it and switched my berries with them...'" he said turning back to himself. "Ok so we can't do anything to stop her at the moment," Twilight said trying to stay calm "How do we stop them from being her followers?" "We either wait, but that can take a couple of days," Thorax said thinking "Or... In the Everfree Forest, there is a clump of flowers called 'Purple Oleanders' he said making a picture come up for them to see "We only need to get them to eat some." "Right." Rainbow Dash said firmly getting up and stretching her wings "Come on Fluttershy. We'll be the fastest. We'll go get these flowers and come right back." "Oh but Rainbow, It's so dark outside, do you know what comes out into the Everfree Forest after dark?" Fluttershy asked quietly afraid. "I'll come with you Rainbow Dash," Starlight Glimmer said coming forward smiling "We'll be back as soon as we can." she said looking to the others "Race you there..." she said to Rainbow grinning, before lighting her horn and dis-appertaining with a light 'Pop'. "HEY!" Rainbow cried out getting light giggles from the others as she shot out of the window. Deep with in the dark quiet Everfree Forest, a ball of light came into existence and with a 'Pop' and a flash, there now stood Starlight Glimmer laughing to herself lightly and then lit her horn and started looking around for any signs of the flowers. Unknown to her however, there were a few pairs of eyes watching her. "Now?" a voice whispered to the being next to them. "Yes, before someone comes along and sees anything," the other said nodding to the being on their other side as well. Starlight had just found the flowers and conjuring up a basket started picking them when she heard something. "Hello?" she called out, making her horn glow a little brighter, but not wanting it to be too bright in case something noticed her. Looking around, nervously Starlight saw a glowing green light coming from over by the bushes a little way off the path. Putting the basket down, Starlight looked up into the sky for a sign of Rainbow Dash, after not finding her, she then heading towards the light to see what it was. She had been following the light for a while and then something came out and attacked her. Screaming, and dodging it Starlight turned around to run back to the flowers but that path was blocked by Changelings. And not the now nice Changelings that ruled under Thorax, no these were the black more buggy ones that were evil and ruled under Chrysalis. Before Starlight could lift her horn at them, they attacked, stunning her, and knocking her out. "STARLIGHT?!" Rainbow Dash's voice called out when she finally got there spotting the basket and the flowers "Starlight now's not the time to be playing games..." Rainbow said slowly coming over to the basket looking around, getting nervous thanks to the silence. Just then somepony came out of the shadows. "Sorry Rainbow, I thought I heard something and went to see what it was," Starlight Glimmer said, her main back to it's old mane-style, returning to the flowers "Come on we need to get these picked and back to Canterlot remember." Feeling something was off, but saying to herself that it can be seen to later Rainbow nodded and helped.